Spied: 2014 Ferrari Hybrid

Ferrari is preparing the world for its first hybrid supercar — and this prototype looks to be solid proof that the project is well under way.

The Maranello firm has been talking about a hybrid supercar since the 2010 Geneva motor show when it unveiled the Hybrid Concept, based on a standard 599. The firm’s goal is to develop hybrid technology to get its fleet average CO2 emissions down to around 240g/km by 2018, a significant reduction from last year’s figure of 310g/km.

Spied testing in Germany, this two-seater looks at first glance to be a ‘cut and shut’ 599 GTO, running as a mule for the all-new 599 due in 2013.

But its red-on-white German ‘pre-registration’ plates give away its identity as a test bed for Ferrari’s hybrid tech. Ferrari prototypes normally wear Italian ‘Prova’ identification plates, but those have been ditched while this prototype is driven in Germany to throw spy photographers off the scent.

Ferrari is keen to disown any knowledge of its hybrid prototype, but the ‘S’ on this car’s plates means it is registered in Stuttgart, home of German supply giant Bosch, which is thought to be helping Ferrari with the engineering and software set-up.

The cut-about 599 GTO body panels are covering up a well finished car underneath, whose details appear to mark it out as a California, Ferrari’s V8-powered coupé-convertible. The California’s headlamps, wheels, chromed wheel nuts, folding metal roof shutlines, brake caliper position and distinctive instrument binnacle can all be seen.

However, the revised arrangement of the test mule’s exhaust pipes is an important new detail. The standard California stacks its twin rear pipes on top of each other, rather than two pairs of side by side pipes as seen here.

That may be linked to new routings for the exhausts, dictated by the hybrid powertrain and its space-consuming battery.